Links
This page is a list of links to Web resources for Palm OS developers.
Official Palm OS
Web site
PalmSource, Inc. offers a fantastic level of support for the Palm
OS at the official Palm OS developer Web site.
- Palm
OS Developer Home
- On this Web site,
you can find documentation, tools, example source code, technical
support, news, marketing support, and just about anything you
could possibly need for Palm OS application development. In particular,
a few parts of the site merit special attention.
- Knowledge
Base
- The Palm OS Knowledge
Base is a searchable repository of technical information about
the Palm OS. Within the Knowledge Base are FAQs, presentations,
white papers, manuals, and sample code, all available from a quick
search form. This is an excellent first place to look if you have
questions about some aspect of Palm OS development.
- Creator
ID Database
- Because each application,
shared library, and feature in the Palm OS must have a unique
four-character creator ID, PalmSource, Inc. maintains a database
of registered creator ID codes. From here, you can search for
a creator ID to see if it is already taken, or you can reserve
your own creator ID by registering it in the database. One of
the first things you should do when making a new application is
to register a creator ID for it.
- Developer
Tools
- The Developer Tools
page contains links to the most up-to-date versions of CodeWarrior
for Palm Computing Platform, the PRC-Tools, the Palm OS SDK, the
Palm OS Emulator, the Conduit Development Kits, Web Clipping tools,
and many others.
- Palm
OS Developer Program
- The Palm OS Developer
Program offers free technical and marketing support for Palm OS
developers. The single most useful part of the program, from a
developer's perspective, is that the program gives you access
to the Resource Pavilion.
A members-only part of the developer Web site, the Resource Pavilion
offers pre-release versions of upcoming software, such as new
versions of the Palm OS SDK and the Palm OS Emulator, in the Development
Seeding area. In addition, a limited portion of the Palm OS source
code is available for download, which can be invaluable when attempting
to squash really obscure bugs. Also, you must be a member of the
Developer Program to submit technical questions to the Development
Support team. If you have exhausted all your options for solving
a technical problem, link to Development Support
and contact them for help from real, live programmers.
- Palm
Powered Compatible Solutions
- PalmSource offers
a certification program (formerly known as the Platinum Program)
to ensure that applications meet rigid standards of compatibility,
quality, and usability. Run by an independent testing company,
Quality Partners, successful certification allows you to put the
Palm Powered Compatible Solution Logo on your application, a sign
to consumers that the program meets PalmSource's high standards.
Certification is not cheap, but it also provides other benefits
like marketing support from PalmSource, Inc..
Third-party Palm
OS Development Sites
The following third-party Web sites offer some helpful resources
for Palm OS developers.
- Palm
OS Development Resources
- This site is an excellent
place to look for anyone developing Palm OS software on a Unix
or GNU/Linux system.
Third-party Hardware
Sites
Many third-party Palm OS hardware developers offer Web sites with
resources for developing software for the nonstandard features included
in some third-party devices.
- Handspring
Visor
- Handspring provides
a Web site for developers who wish to take advantage of the special
features of Springboard modules in the Visor line of handhelds.
- Kyocera
Smartphone Partner Program
- The QCP 6035 smartphone,
formerly owned by Qualcomm but more recently bought by Kyocera,
includes a number of telephony features not present in a standard
Palm OS handheld. Kyocera's developer Web site provides tools
and information for developers to take advantage of the smartphone's
extra features.
- Sony
Clié
- If you are interested
in developing for the unique features of the Sony Clié,
including Jog Dial and Memory Stick technologies, take a look
at Sony's handheld developer Web site.
- Symbol
Palm Terminal
- The Symbol Palm Terminal
line adds barcode scanning and wireless LAN capabilities to the
Palm OS platform, requiring specialized developer tools and documentation.
- HandEra Developer's Support
- HandEra offers special
programming resources for developers who want to write applications
that use the CompactFlash expansion slot, QVGA screen, and enhanced
sound abilities of the HandEra 330.
Mailing Lists
There are a number of mailing lists you can subscribe to for discussing
Palm OS development with other developers.
- Palm
Developer Forums
- PalmSource, Inc. provides
a number of developer forums for discussion of Palm OS development
issues. These mailing lists are one of the quickest ways to get
answers to nagging technical questions.
- prc-tools-devel
- The prc-tools-devel
list offers highly technical discussion about the internal parts
of the PRC-Tools.
Usenet Newsgroups
Though there are no regular Usenet newsgroups for discussion of
Palm OS development, there are newsgroups run by other parties.
- Falch.net
- There are a number
of newsgroups for Palm OS discussion run by the kind folks at
Falch.net:
- These groups were
formerly hosted at Massena.com.
- Palm
- Palm pipes its developer
forum mailing lists to its own news server at news.palmos.com.
This page gives details on how to set up your news reader to read
the forums from Palm's news server.
Tools and Source
Code
Sometimes, the easiest way to figure out how to program is to look
at someone else's code. PalmGear
H.Q., a repository for Palm OS software, has an excellent
developer section, full of useful tools and source code that you
can pick through. Also, PalmGear H.Q. is a good place to distribute
your application once you have finished writing it. You may also
want to check out Handango,
another popular Palm OS software distribution site.
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